Pages

Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Januzaj’s future at Manchester United in the balance

Adnan
Januzaj’s immediate future at Manchester United is in the balance, with
Louis van Gaal considering whether the 20-year-old should go out on
loan next season.

The forward has struggled to establish
himself under the new manager after last year’s breakthrough campaign
under David Moyes. Januzaj had to wait until 20 October to be given a
first start by Van Gaal – in a 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion – and he
has made only eight in total.

Despite signing a
new five-year deal last October which the Belgian’s agent claimed
rewarded him better than “Ronaldo and Messi when they were 18” and being
handed Ryan Giggs’s iconic No11 shirt for this season, Januzaj’s career
at Old Trafford has stalled. With four matches left of the season he
has made a total of 20 appearances and has yet to score. Last year he
made 35 appearances of which 19 were starts, scoring four times.

This
lack of regular football and the potential arrival of PSV Eindhoven’s
Memphis Depay, who is the Eredivisie’s top scorer with 21 goals in 28
starts, may convince Van Gaal that Januzaj should be allowed to consider
a temporary move, at least.

Depay’s performances have helped
lead PSV to the Dutch championship and his goal tally is impressive for a
player who, like Januzaj, has thus far operated mainly as a wide
player. As Depay is only a year older than Januzaj his arrival would
offer a further threat to the latter’s first-team prospects.